Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 36107 — Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)

Aslam said: When Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Syria, he and his companions were besieged and faced severe hardship. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote him a letter in which, after the greeting, he wrote: "Allah has placed ease after every distress. One hardship can never overcome two eases." He also wrote to him this verse of the Qur'an: "O you who believe, be patient, outdo others in patience, remain steadfast, and fear Allah so that you may succeed." [Al Imran: 200] The narrator said: After this Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah wrote to him in reply: "The life of this world is only play and amusement, adornment, boasting among yourselves and rivalry in wealth and children." [Al-Hadid: 20] Then Sayyiduna Umar read Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah's letter to the people and said to them: "O people of Madinah, Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah is hinting at you and urging you to jihad." Zayd said that his father said: I was standing in the market when some people came down from the valley, among them Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), giving the good news of victory. I too came out in joy, went to Sayyiduna Umar and said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful, glad tidings of the help of Allah and of victory." Sayyiduna Umar said "Allahu Akbar" and said: "Many a speaker will say: If only it had been Khalid bin al-Walid."